Debate appears likely to topple 36-year ratings record

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NEW YORK (AP) - The showdown between Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump on Monday appears likely to set a record for the most-watched presidential debate ever.

A final viewership estimate from the Nielsen company was not immediately available. But preliminary estimates from 11 of the networks that carried the debate totaled 81.4 million viewers, which would topple a record that had stood for 36 years.

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The previous record for presidential debate viewership was the 80.6 million people who saw the only debate in 1980 between incumbent Democrat Jimmy Carter and his Republican challenger Ronald Reagan.

No debate since then had exceeded 70 million viewers.

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